Renowned musician and actor Özkan Uğur, known for his energy, cheerfulness and smiling face, died at 69 after a long battle with cancer.
He was born on Oct.17, 1953, in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Uğur completed his primary education at Reşat Nuri Güntekin Elementary School, where he was introduced to the mandolin. While attending Fenerbahçe High School, his passion for music grew, and he formed an amateur group called the "Atomikler" ("Atomics"), where they performed popular songs of that time.
He began his professional music career in 1970 with the Şerif Yüzbaşıoğlu Orchestra, where many famous musicians occasionally joined. In 1971, Uğur started playing bass guitar with his first band, "Kaygısızlar" ("Buyoants"), alongside Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner.
After the disbandment of "Kaygısızlar," Uğur joined prominent rock singer Barış Manço's rock band "Kurtalan Ekspres" in 1972 as part of the initial lineup formed to accompany Manço.
In 1974, after leaving the band, Uğur played bass guitar on a studio album he made with his old friends Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner. He also briefly played bass guitar in Kurtalan Ekspres in 1976 and served as a guitarist for the band's Anatolian tour in 1978.
Uğur had a colorful profile as an artist with his unique personality, charisma, and lively performances. In the early 1980s, he collaborated with Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner, working with famous names in the industry.
Between 1980 and 1983, Uğur and Fuat Güner worked as musicians and actors in famous actor Ferhan Şensoy's plays.
As the trio of Mazhar, Fuat, and Özkan, MFÖ gained fame with their first album released in 1984. The group represented Türkiye twice in the Eurovision Song Contest, with the songs "Diday Diday Day" in 1985 and "Sufi" in 1988.
In 2019, MFÖ was awarded the "Culture and Arts Grand Award" in the field of "Music" at the Presidency of the Republic Culture and Arts Awards for their commitment to representing cultural identity in Turkish pop and rock music and their success and consistency in their music over the past 40 years.
Uğur played bass guitar in MFÖ and successfully performed challenging vocals with his tenor voice. He also had songs with lyrics that didn't have any particular meaning.
Unlike the other group members, Uğur did not release a solo album. His first solo song was "Maksat Muhabbet Olsun," the film's soundtrack "Karışık Pizza." The second song he released was "Olduramadım," which he wrote for the comedy film "G.O.R.A."
He had roles in many TV series and films throughout his career.
As an artist, Uğur maintained a balance between acting and music. In interviews, he expressed that music always had a prominent place in his life.
Although he was interested in music since childhood, Uğur initially wanted to become an actor. In an interview, he once said:
"I begged my parents to enroll me in a conservatory, but I'm glad they didn't. There wouldn't have been MFÖ without that. I can't imagine a life without MFÖ; I always say this. Music is the most important thing for me. Did acting take precedence over music or vice versa? Now, they go hand in hand, but the part where I can best express myself is music. But I also enjoy acting. I have to internalize that character. If I can get into that character, then I accept the role. But if I can't, I don't."
Uğur married Aysun Aslan, a State Opera and Ballet artist, and they have a son named Alişan.
The esteemed artist successfully battled lymph cancer in 2013 but began receiving cancer treatment again in 2020. After being closely monitored and treated in the intensive care unit for about a month and a half, Uğur did not respond to treatments due to various problems in his lungs and passed away today.
An official commemoration ceremony for Özkan Uğur will be held on July 11 at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM). Following the funeral prayer at Taksim Mosque on the same day, Uğur's body will be laid to rest at Karacaahmet Cemetery.
The artist is receiving accolades from every community. With his ability to leave wonderful memories in everyone's hearts and his exemplary personality that inspires others with a smile, he will never be forgotten.
